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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · cell · fine · game · chair · cue · rash · rock

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. chair — a leader
  3. rash — a series
  4. cue — a hint
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fine — all right
  14. rash — hasty
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com